Xerochrysum plant named ‘Bondreredem’

ABSTRACT

A new and distinct cultivar of  Xerochrysum  plant named ‘Bondreredem’, characterized by its double-type, burnt-orange and yellow bicolored inflorescences, dark green-colored foliage, and moderately vigorous, compact-mounded growth habit, is disclosed.

Latin name of genus and species of plant claimed: Xerochrysum bracteatum.

Variety denomination: ‘Bondreredem’.

BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION

The present invention relates to a new and distinct cultivar of Xerochrysum plant botanically known as Xerochrysum bracteatum and hereinafter referred to by the cultivar name ‘Bondreredem’.

The new cultivar originated in a controlled breeding program in Yellow Rock, New South Wales, Australia during January 2007. The objective of the breeding program was the development of Xerochrysum cultivars with large inflorescences having attractive colors, and moderately vigorous, compact-mounded growth habit.

The new Xerochrysum cultivar is the result of cross-pollination. The female (seed) parent of the new cultivar is DREAMTIME Jumbo Light Pink ‘Bondrelaipi’, copending U.S. Plant patent application Ser. No. 12/924,191, characterized by its double-type, pink and white bicolored inflorescences, dark green-colored foliage, and moderately vigorous, compact-mounded growth habit. The male (pollen) parent of the new cultivar is the proprietary Xerochrysum bracteatum breeding selection designated 06-30, not patented, characterized by its double-type, red and yellow bicolored inflorescences, dark green-colored foliage, and moderately vigorous, upright-mounded growth habit. The new cultivar was discovered and selected as a single flowering plant within the progeny of the above stated cross-pollination during October 2007 in a controlled environment at Yellow Rock, New South Wales, Australia.

Asexual reproduction of the new cultivar by terminal stem cuttings since October 2007 at Yellow Rock, New South Wales, Australia, Arroyo Grande, Calif., and West Chicago, Ill. has demonstrated that the new cultivar reproduces true to type with all of the characteristics, as herein described, firmly fixed and retained through successive generations of such asexual propagation.

SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION

The following characteristics of the new cultivar have been repeatedly observed and can be used to distinguish ‘Bondreredem’ as a new and distinct cultivar of Xerochrysum plant:

-   -   1. Double-type, burnt-orange and yellow bicolored         inflorescences;     -   2. Dark green-colored foliage; and     -   3. Moderately vigorous, compact-mounded growth habit.

Plants of the new cultivar differ from plants of the female parent primarily in inflorescence color and from plants of the male parent primarily in inflorescence color and growth habit. The new cultivar is more compact than the male parent.

Of the many commercially available Xerochrysum cultivars, the most similar in comparison to the new cultivar is Mohave Fire ‘KLEBB08398’, U.S. Plant Pat. No. 21,119. However, in side by side comparisons, plants of the new cultivar differ from plants of ‘KLEBB08398’ in at least the following characteristics:

-   -   1. Plants of the new cultivar have an involucral bract color         different from plants of ‘KLEBB08398’. In particular, the base         of the upper surface of the bracts is a brighter yellow color         than that of ‘KLEBB08398’.     -   2. Plants of the new cultivar have larger inflorescences than         plants of ‘KLEBB08398’. In a side by comparison, plants of the         new cultivar had an average inflorescence diameter of 5.0 cm and         inflorescence depth of 1.8 cm, while plants of ‘KLEBB08398’ had         an average inflorescence diameter of 3.5 cm and inflorescence         depth of 1.6 cm.

BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE PHOTOGRAPHS

The accompanying photographs show, as nearly true as it is reasonably possible to make the same in color illustrations of this type, typical flower and foliage characteristics of the new cultivar.

Colors in the photographs differ slightly from the color values cited in the detailed description, which accurately describes the colors of ‘Bondreredem’. The plants were grown in 4-inch pots for 6 weeks in a greenhouse at West Chicago, Ill.

FIG. 1 illustrates a side view of the overall growth and flowering habit of ‘Bondreredem’.

FIG. 2 illustrates a close-up view of an individual inflorescence of ‘Bondreredem’.

DETAILED BOTANICAL DESCRIPTION

The new cultivar has not been observed under all possible environmental conditions to date. Accordingly, it is possible that the phenotype may vary somewhat with variations in the environment, such as temperature, light intensity, and day length, without, however, any variance in genotype.

The chart used in the identification of colors described herein is The R.H.S. Colour Chart of The Royal Horticultural Society, London, England, 2001 edition, except where general color terms of ordinary significance are used. The color values were determined in July 2010 under natural light conditions in West Chicago, Ill.

The following descriptions and measurements describe plants produced from cuttings from stock plants and grown in a glass-covered greenhouse under conditions comparable to those used in commercial practice. The plants were grown in West Chicago, Ill. in 4-inch pots for 6 weeks utilizing a soilless growth medium. Greenhouse temperatures were maintained at approximately 70° F. to 77° F. (21° C. to 25° C.) during the day and approximately 65° F. to 68° F. (18° C. to 20° C.) during the night. Greenhouse light levels of 2,500 footcandles to 6,000 footcandles were maintained during the day. Measurements and numerical values represent averages of typical plants.

-   Botanical classification: Xerochrysum bracteatum cultivar     Bondreredem. -   Parentage:     -   -   Female parent.—DREAMTIME Jumbo Light Pink ‘Bondrelaipi’,             copending U.S. Plant patent application Ser. No. 12/924,191.         -   Male parent.—Proprietary Xerochrysum bracteatum breeding             selection designated 06-30, not patented.         -   Type cutting.—Terminal stem.         -   Time to initiate roots.—Approximately 6 to 9 days.         -   Time to produce a rooted cutting.—Approximately 21 to 28             days.         -   Root description.—Fibrous, fine.         -   Rooting habit.—Freely branching. -   Plant description:     -   -   Commercial crop time.—Approximately 6 to 8 weeks from a             rooted cutting to finish in a 10 cm pot.         -   Growth habit and general appearance.—Moderately vigorous,             compact-mounded.         -   Size.—Height from soil level to top of plant plane:             Approximately 13.9 cm. Width: Approximately 16.1 cm.         -   Branching habit.—Freely branching. Quantity of main branches             per plant: Approximately 7.         -   Branch.—Strength: Strong. Length to base of peduncle:             Approximately 4.5 cm. Diameter: Approximately 3.0 mm. Length             of central internode: Approximately 8.0 mm. Texture: Densely             pubescent. Color of young and mature stems: 144D. -   Foliage description:     -   -   General description.—Quantity of leaves per main branch:             Approximately 8. Fragrance: Slight. Form: Simple.             Arrangement: Alternate.         -   Leaves.—Aspect: Acute angle to stem becoming an obtuse angle             with age. Shape: Linear to elliptic. Margin: Entire. Apex:             Acuminate. Base: Sessile. Venation pattern: Parallel. Length             of mature leaf: Approximately 6.6 cm. Width of mature leaf:             Approximately 1.4 cm. Texture of upper surface: Moderately             pubescent. Texture of lower surface: Sparsely pubescent.             Color of upper surface of young foliage: 137B with             indistinguishable venation except for midvien of 145B. Color             of lower surface of young and mature foliage: Closest to             137B with indistinguishable venation except for midvien of             145B. Color of upper surface of mature foliage: Closest to             139A with indistinguishable venation except for midvien of             145B. -   Flowering description:     -   -   Flowering habit.—‘Bondreredem’ is freely flowering under             outdoor growing conditions with substantially continuous             blooming from spring through autumn and year-round in             greenhouse environment.         -   Lastingness of individual inflorescence on the             plant.—Approximately 2 to 3 weeks. -   Inflorescence description:     -   -   General description.—Type: Double, composite. Persistent.             Shape: Hemispherical when involucral bracts are fully             expanded. Aspect: Facing outward or upward held above the             foliage. Arrangement: Terminal, solitary. Disc florets and             involucral bracts develop acropetally on a capitulum.             Fragrance: None. Quantity per plant: Approximately 2.             Diameter: Approximately 5.0 cm. Depth: Approximately 1.8 cm.         -   Peduncle.—Strength: Strong. Aspect: Erect. Length:             Approximately 6.2 cm. Diameter: Approximately 3.0 mm.             Texture: Tomentose. Color: 144B.         -   Bud.—Rate of opening: Generally takes 14 to 21 days for bud             to progress from first color to fully open flower. Quantity             per plant: Approximately 5.         -   Bud just before opening.—Shape: Ovoid. Length: Approximately             1.6 cm. Diameter: Approximately 1.0 cm. Color: 187B.         -   Involucral bracts.—Quantity per inflorescence:             Approximately 250. Arrangement: Imbricate in approximately 8             whorls. Aspect: Initially at acute angle to disc, becoming             perpendicular at maturity and downward turning as senesce.             Shape: Lanceolate, slightly cupped with sides turned upward.             Margin: Entire. Apex: Acute. Base: Truncate. Length of             outermost: Approximately 1.2 cm. Length of innermost:             Approximately 6.0 mm. Width of outermost: Approximately             5.0 mm. Width of innermost: Approximately 1.0 mm. Texture of             upper and lower surfaces: Glabrous, papery. Color of upper             surface when first open: Base of 4B transitioning to N34A at             center with 187B at tips. Color of lower surface when first             open: Base and center of 4B with margins of 34B and 187B at             tips. Color of upper surface when fully open: Base of 4A             transitioning to N34A at center with 187B at tips of             outermost bracts. Color of lower surface when fully open:             Base of 4A transitioning to N34A at center with 187B at tips             of outermost bracts.         -   Disc florets.—Quantity per inflorescence: Numerous, greater             than 500. Arrangement: Massed in center of inflorescence,             multiple whorls of female florets at perimeter. Shape:             Tubular with an outer whorl of approximately 20 feather-like             filaments closest to 155A and approximately 6.0 mm in             length. Margin: Entire. Apex: Five acute tips. Base: Fused.             Length: Approximately 1.0 cm. Diameter at apex:             Approximately 1.0 mm. Diameter at base: Less than 1 mm.             Texture: Glabrous. Color when fully open: 21A transitioning             through 155D to a colorless, opaque base.         -   Disc.—Diameter: Approximately 1.8 cm. Depth: Approximately             1.4 cm.         -   Receptacle.—Shape: Flat. Diameter: Approximately 2.0 cm.             Color: 145D.         -   Reproductive organs.—Androecium: Stamen quantity: 5 per             floret, fused around the style. Stamen length: Approximately             7.0 mm. Anther shape: Linear. Anther length: Approximately             3.0 mm. Anther color: 14A. Pollen amount: Moderate. Pollen             color: 14B. Gynoecium: Pistil quantity: 1 per floret. Pistil             length: Approximately 1.0 cm. Stigma shape: Bi-parted.             Stigma length: Approximately 2.0 mm. Stigma color: 21A.             Style length: Approximately 7.0 mm. Style color: Colorless,             transparent. Ovary length: Approximately 1.0 mm. Ovary             color: Colorless, opaque. -   Seed and fruit production: Neither seed nor fruit production has     been observed. -   Disease and pest resistance: Resistance to pathogens and pests     common to Xerochrysum has not been observed. 

1. A new and distinct cultivar of Xerochrysum plant named ‘Bondreredem’, substantially as herein shown and described. 